eadership and Business Wisdom.

Byline: S. Kamal Hayder Kazmi

The Entrepreneurial Mindset

Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson popularly known as Richard Branson is a British business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group spanning over 400 companies. Branson is the 5th richest person in the UK according to Forbes' 2011 list of billionaires with an estimated net worth of USD 4.2 billion. His internationally acclaimed brand "Virgin" is displayed on everything from credit cards, to airlines and music "megastores". He has knack to attract media with his marketing tactics and balloon adventures.

Born on July, 18, 1950 in Blackheath, London to barrister Edward James Branson, Branson suffered from dyslexia and had a poor academic performance as a student. His entrepreneurial ways began pouring early and gradually he discovered his ability to connect with others. At the tender age of 16, Branson started publishing a magazine called 'Student'. He did not go on to graduate and instead set up an audio record mail-order business in 1970. In 1972, he took the plunge and opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. The brand grew with leaps and bounds during the 1980s. Branson later set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label.

With the passage of time Branson bootstrapped his way from record-shop owner to head of the Virgin Empire and in the process created one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Gifted with a seemingly insatiable appetite for starting new business ventures, Branson with his enterprising instinct has managed to "Virginize" a very wide range of products and services. With around 200 companies in over 30 countries, the Virgin Group has now expanded into leisure, travel, tourism, mobile, broadband, TV, radio, music festivals, finance and health. Virgin Green Fund is investing in renewable energy and resource efficiency.

The variety of businesses that Branson controls is as vast as the geographical coverage the brand has, with business located throughout the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Asian, Europe and South Africa. Some of his major brands include: Virgin Atlantic - An international airline flying to many major destinations; Virgin Megastores - Music Super-markets located in major locations in the UK, USA and Australia; Virgin Books - Publisher and distributor of books; Virgin Credit Card - Branson's attempt to provide credit card at a reasonable price; Virgin Holidays -...